Still Waters

monkey

2012-01-23T13:15:00.002-05:00

Withgettinggoodatwalkingcomesnewgoalsandchallengesformyboy.

Exploringverticallyisthenewwalking,apparently.Anythinghecanclimbintoorontoorthroughisfairgame.ThisnewterritorybringsafewmorebumpsandtearswithitbutoverallIamimpressedbyhisabilitytotryhislimitswithoutfoolishlyexceedingthem.Let'shopethisearlywisdomturnsouttobeacharactertrait.

Trains

2012-01-21T16:40:00.003-05:00

Itamazesmeeverytimehelearnsnewskillssoquicklyandwellthroughplaying.Ionlyshowedhimoncehowtoputtheblocksonthepegsandawayhewent.

Thistrainisanotheraesthetically(andsentimentallyandeducationally)pleasingtoy.Nottobeasnobbutitisdefinitelypreferableinmyeyestothepilesofjunksoreadilyavailablethesedays...

techy

2012-01-10T12:51:00.002-05:00

Helikesthecomputer

andhasthetypingthingdown.

He'devenbegreatwithatouch-screenmodel.

Iguessallthat'sleftisspelling,then.

Ears

2012-01-07T10:18:00.002-05:00

"Whatwasthat?"

Thiswouldlikelylookbetterinblackandwhite(lovethechair,hatethepattern/colour)andpossiblycroppedand/orbackgroundblurredbutIsorarelyeditphotosIoftenforgetaboutthepossibilities.Orwecouldjusttakeasecondtovisualizehowcutethesepicturescouldbeweretheyproperlyedited...

Cowlick

2012-01-06T20:31:00.003-05:00

Whyisn'tmybead-headeverthiscute?

Cheeks

2012-01-05T19:18:00.002-05:00

StoppinginataSalvationArmyIpickedupaniceplainwoodtoyboxtoday.Icouldn'tbehappiertogettoysoffthefloorandpotentiallyoutofsight.Ialsodonatedalittlepileofhistoys(yes,healreadyhasextra)soamhappywiththeimprovement!

Logan'sbeencrazyabouthatsforawhilenowandoftenwillwalkaroundwearingonehe'sfoundaroundthehouse.Thisoneofminefitshisheadabitbetterthanhisdad'shats.Don'tyoujustwanttosqueezethosecheeks!

Blocks

2012-01-04T19:03:00.001-05:00

Thesethingsareagreatideauntilsteppedupon.

ouch.

2012

2012-01-03T13:11:00.001-05:00

HappyNewYear!Havingvariousissueswiththelaptop,Ihavepostedverylittleinthepastwhilebutlifehasbynomeanssloweddown.IhopetohavethingstosayonceIcansayitbetter.Fornowjustanotherpicturetofillthegap...

Wrapped-up

2011-12-28T12:26:00.000-05:00

Thesecondgreatestgiftofall...

merry Christmas

2011-12-23T14:35:00.000-05:00

-Nooner

reasonable?

2011-12-20T20:17:00.000-05:00

Isitstrangethatagoodpartofmyincentivetokeepacleanhousederivesfromadesirealwaystohaveadecentbackgroundformybabypictures?PerhapsIshouldresearchdepth-of-fieldsettingsandsavemyselfallthiswork...

marker

2011-12-17T13:53:00.002-05:00

un-capped?uh-oh!

Snoozing

2011-12-06T22:35:00.000-05:00

super boy

2011-11-25T15:11:00.001-05:00

Our boy has never appreciated wearing bibs that are anything more than fabric (and he hasn't always enjoyed those for any length of time). He's always tried to get anything that crinkles or is stiff off from around his neck and I can sympathise with him in this remembering my deep-set aversion to turtle-neck shirts and the like. But yesterday he brought to me one of these pristine bibs with a plastic backing and wanted me to put it on him backwards (don't ask me how I knew this was what he wanted, writing it out now I'm wondering that myself). So I did, wondering what would happen. He then walked around (with a bit of a strut, perhaps?) with his cape-bib for the next half-hour at least. I can't think that he has seen anything with a cape that he is attempting to imitate yet so I wonder where this new idea originated.

Our little super hero!

Just don't tell him it looks like a cute peter-pan collar from the front...

Leaves

2011-11-23T12:56:00.001-05:00

We've now had our first snow fall of the year. I don't think it's going to stay for long (the weather is supposed to warm quite a bit in the next couple days) but it's fun to see and gives a bit of a practice run for those who make a living getting it out of other peoples' way. Despite the late date, Fall clean-ups have been going strong and just yesterday we took these pictures of the littlest member of our crew enjoying one of the piles of leaves.

One Year

2011-11-19T13:22:00.001-05:00

He's grown so much so quickly! It seems like there is no way he could be happier, more loving or smarter than he is. I can't wait to see how he develops this coming year. God bless you, my boy.

Decisions, decisions

2011-11-17T16:00:00.001-05:00

A bit over a week ago I stumbled across an interesting opportunity for our family and we've been researching how feasible it would be. Until we know if we're actually pursuing it for some reason I really don't want to let too many people know about the details. I'm not sure from whence the reticence springs but it's possible that it's just too close to my dreams to want to go through the disappointment with others watching. Now before everyone starts guessing amazing and huge steps for us, it really isn't anything that significant (we're not moving to another country or adopting or something) but it would be great if we could swing it. The one problem with not letting anyone know about it is that I would like advice as I research options in this decision and it might be hard to solicit without giving sufficient background. I would like to be able to tell people once I am more sure that the process will go through but I guess I don't want to have to explain how we gave up if it doesn't pan out. Maybe I'll go around asking people a pile of crazy hypothetical questions as a smoke-screen with the one real question buried somewhere in the middle.

What to do, what to do...

first steps

2011-11-12T13:07:00.001-05:00

Our little guy has been pulling himself from hand-hold to hand-hold for several months now and walking when his hands are held but he has taken a while to venture out on his own. This touch of timidity (perhaps tinged with laziness or comfort in old habits) has been fine with me because it means I know the exact extent of his reach for the few moments I cannot keep both eyes on him. I can trust that if I leave him holding onto the chair he will not be any further than the couch at the opposite end of the room by the time I come back. But all that is about to fly out the window because he took his first few independent steps yesterday. At present he still reverts to the easy way most of the time but more and more (even within the past few hours) I have found him venturing beyond his earlier comfort zone. These are interesting times...

Walking with his walking stick (perhaps it's a bit too pointy for safety. Might have to fix that. Hmm).

knight errant

2011-11-07T14:11:00.002-05:00

We have had an incredible Autumn weather-wise with plenty of sunshine and highs almost doubling seasonal averages. Despite being sick we've been attempting to take advantage of the weather as much as possible. It would be much easier had we our own yard but making do with what is available is part of what makes life interesting, I believe. So we go for walks to the park or visit friends with yards of their own. Over all we've been able to enjoy quite our share of fresh air.

We were passed this sweater (and vest) and I love the colour combination. In these pictures the line in the knitting and the shape against his head reminds me of a suit of mail. A knight in training, I suppose.

The past couple days I have noticed a change in how he walks, too. For several months, now, he has been cruising from object to object but just these past two days he has been consistently letting go of one hand-hold before taking a step towards the next spot. He also was holding a stick while we were outside yesterday and took a couple steps with it (not holding anything else). He knows how to walk it'll just take a bit more confidence, I think. Then, look out!

Talking bobcats

2011-11-04T11:18:00.002-05:00

We've been under the weather this past week which in part accounts for the length of silence. It has been beautiful, however, in my favourite Autumn way so we have been seizing opportunities to head outside every day we can. Parked in our back parking lot (in sight from where we normally exit when going for a walk) is one of the bobcats that James drives and it has become an essential part of our routine to walk around the bobcat before going anywhere (or coming back inside). Although the little bear isn't speaking completely yet he certainly is trying and not only makes sounds that are very close to the proper words but also is quite adept at getting his intent across through a variety of other ways. I know the moment he sets eyes on the bobcat and feel probably much like a horse does as he guides me over to it. As far as word enunciation goes, he has said "bob" very distinctly followed by other sounds and has also said "cat" (but he's practised and had that one down for a while now from the other context) and once he mashed the two with a longish "baaat" sounding word. But he's working on it and seems to be progressing. I know I probably interpret more than an outside observer would from what he says but I know he is trying the proper words and uses them at appropriate occasions. And we have had unbiased (as much as is possible) observers hear him say words (without our prompting them to hear things) so I'm not just an over-achieving mother. Just for future reference for myself, I want to list what he has said so far. Around three months he started saying "hi" (often with just a little aspiration but a clear vowel sound) at the appropriate times and occasionally when prompted. He has mostly dropped this now but waves with his hand (a few minutes after someone has waved at him, usually). Then he would say "Da" or "Dada" appropriately in a very happy voice when he was around eight or nine months. Around the same time he would say "Mama" but always when he was upset in a half-cry... He has dropped this one too but still calls or names James "Da" in a high tone (not to mention the body wriggles and smiles he gets too). I'm trying to remember which came first but around ten months he helped James change some light-bulbs (rather, watched while James changed the light-bulbs...much as I do when I 'help') and from that point was interested in lights and would point to them and say "ight". Then one day James was drinking a Blue and L was trying to grab it so James spelled the word out and said "it says 'Blue'" to which the little guy said "Bu" and has continued to pronounce appropriately (while pointing to the letters as James had). He doesn't have the 'l' down yet but will extend the vowel to the appropriate length for the word "Buuu". Then with the coming of the cats and his immediate interest in them he says "At" or "Ca" or even "It" (probably from kitty) whenever he seas or hears them. This is also said in that high tone he uses for Dad. Even when he doesn't say any word his pitch will heighten considerably when mentioning them. These are the words he is saying fairly consistently and clearly. Along with them he is very good at imitating sounds and miscellaneous other words. Over all it's fascinating and so much fun to be a part of his first steps in language! Now for a couple pictures from this week:

"Sorry, you're a little late for candy now..."

"That's okay: I'll eat this stick instead."

Fall Rainbow

2011-10-26T11:17:00.001-05:00

Mmm

2011-10-24T18:33:00.005-05:00

Imagine my moment of joy while preparing supper when I discovered four forgotten blobs of dough in the freezer ready and waiting to be transformed by the toaster oven into delicious oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

Happy Weekend

2011-10-22T12:34:00.001-05:00

lichens

2011-10-21T14:22:00.001-05:00

on an old tree stump but seeing them I can't help but quote: "I'm going to the market to get some eucalyptus candles to make my apartment smell mossy."

I don't know what it is about You've Got Mail but it's so quotable. Not that that statement is that profound when written out (okay, not profound at all) but it's the way he says it. So many of those lines just stick in my head and when I quote and the other person doesn't get it, it's hard to explain. But it's the perfect movie for Autumn. Well it has some good Spring stuff too. And Christmas...

It's just a great movie. Oh, and I love the colour in these lichens, too!

pick-me-up

2011-10-20T12:38:00.001-05:00

After the somewhat downward nature of the last post I figure a good picture is in order. And yes, the title is fully intended as a pun. Haha.

Stuff

2011-10-19T17:45:00.001-05:00

Every once in a while I get overwhelmed by the state of our apartment. Often it gets to the point where we have no horizontal surface that is not covered with an assortment of items. This seems horrific (at least to me) but it's hard to put everything in its place when we don't actually have space for everything. Most of this stuff can't be put away. That seems like an extreme claim but more understandable when you understand that we have to store all of the tools and work miscellany here in the house. Also my little man is at the stage where he loves pulling things out and down but hasn't reached that where I can try to get him to clean up afterwards. The mess often builds much faster than I am able to avert any part of it. It's interesting to see how these piles of stuff can affect my whole outlook on life. Having got myself into a funk over it, it then seeps into how I treat those around me. Not good. My boy had his first meltdown this afternoon and looking at it calmly and rationally afterwards I realize that along with his being under the weather and over-tired from skipping his morning nap, I was not interacting with him as calmly and fairly as I try to normally. I am not about to blame all bad behaviour on myself but I definitely can see how I did more to feed the fire than calm him down. Thankfully James was home, wasn't in the same funk and was able to step in and make it better. It is true that joy doesn't come from our circumstances but I have to remember that it shouldn't be brought down by them either. I also should remember that living with piles of things around me is not the worst of circumstances to survive. I have so much to be thankful for apart from and even within my current circumstances and I will think on these things.

Daddy's kitty

2011-10-18T23:02:00.003-05:00

She adores him (of course)

I remember one of the first longer conversations we had over the phone when we were getting to know each other. Almost half of it was taken up with the subject of his cats. True love, I think.

Greenery

2011-10-15T09:40:00.000-05:00

James put some cuttings in water above our fridge and I love the extra bit of life it brings to the kitchen.

Leaves

2011-10-13T09:38:00.000-05:00

We went on a lovely walk this past weekend from our place to the river and then up by Parliament. Once again, despite being superbly sick it was quite enjoyable.

Speaking of being sick the last weekend, it hasn't gone away and I'm pretty sure by today I have at least a mild case of pneumonia and J has just gone into the clinic for what is either strep or tonsillitis. Our boy has had a tiny cough and I've been watching him closely but so far nothing major. I really hope we don't infect him too severely. Anyway on that note, enjoy the leaves!

Thanksgiving weekend

2011-10-12T13:57:00.000-05:00

This weekend the weather couldn't have been better and our health couldn't have been worse. After spending Saturday holed up inside we decided it would be better to get some fresh air and take part in some of the joys of the weekend. Here are a few pictures of the one afternoon spent out of the city. Fun was had by all with cousins playing and a fairly large tree-house being built. The next day we had a lovely large family supper with my relatives. Unfortunately I took no pictures then but the other little ones were also there so it was great to have some younger ones around again. Nice to see how LJ is interacting more and more with other children. Then we celebrated James' birthday yesterday with another perfect day. So over all I am refreshed from the weekend even though I cannot breathe through my nose. The only thing that could have improved it at all would be better health but then perhaps being sick is making me more mindful to be thankful that I haven't been sick in such a long time!

Dress up

2011-10-06T17:03:00.003-05:00

James has had two cats for quite a few years. For several years they had been living at his mom's place. This arrangement went well until she relocated (yes, just one of the moves I was involved in) and they came here. It has been interesting having cats in the house. In particular it has been interesting having these cats. I know most cats have personality but I've never met cats with quite this kind of personality. Noon (the one pictured here) will let you dress her up as long as you tell her that she is a pretty girl. In this picture she's wearing her food dish, I feel, with a certain style. The fact she tolerates being dressed up may not be that strange as far as cats go but I believe what sets her apart from the common herd is the fact that her dignity is never called into question no matter how outlandish the outfit. I respect that about her.

Dirt Dirk

2011-10-05T14:34:00.005-05:00

Cabbages and things

2011-10-05T07:44:00.001-05:00

Dull grey leaves. Nothing fancy.

In the phrase "cabbages and kings" the role of the cabbage is to represent the lowest portion of society (the opposite end of kings on the spectrum). This humble plant gets little fanfare (unless from healthy gourmands). But take this same dull grey leaf and let the light shine through it and it produces such depth of colour.

I have often thought of the many spiritual lessons to be observed through gardening but this is the first time I thought of this facet. The transformation from a nothing to a thing of beauty for this cabbage leaf depends entirely on letting the light shine through it. The light is the transformation.

Utter beauty.

bopping baby beluga boy

2011-10-04T08:36:00.000-05:00

I wish I could post this picture as a video but we're working on that. For now you'll just have to picture the cutest little wiggle imaginable often accompanied by some soft humming. Almost any time he hears music now he starts wiggling in time to it. Because I repositioned the coffee table he now has much easier access to our stereo and it took him less than an hour to figure out how to turn it on and pump up the volume. The only way we can stop him from accidentally blasting the music later at night is to change the setting to one with no current input. I wonder how long it'll take him to figure out how to change it back. He will stand with his left hand holding the stand (after it has done it's job of pushing the power button) and his right hand on the volume dial and weave back and forth. The funniest is when his weaving causes him to turn the volume up and down and up and down as he goes back and forth. I can't get over how cute it is and I'm thrilled that he's showing such an interest in music (yay!). It's so awesome to watch (and participate to a certain extent in) how his personality is growing and emerging. Being musical myself I am so happy to see him show an interest but it makes me wonder how I would take it if he had no interest in music. I really don't want to be pushy and force my tastes or expectations but I have a feeling that will be harder not to do than it first seems. I think we're safe on the music front but we can only see how things work out in the future.

It is finished...for now

2011-10-03T12:34:00.002-05:00

Since last July I have been more or less continuously packing and moving or helping others pack and move. This weekend, however, saw the last possible opportunities to finish the final of the moves (they now no longer have possession of the old place so there's nothing more that can be done there). Also this Thursday Mom informed me that she was bringing over the last of the boxes from my old room so even that bit of unpacking and sorting is pretty much wrapped up. I'm super excited about all this being done for now (even though there will be a small move I'll be helping with after Christmas) but I keep having a foreboding that it isn't finished yet. It's too good to be true. I think it will sink in fairly soon. I definitely have something extra to celebrate this Thanksgiving. Even though I want out of this apartment I think I can wait a bit before we move. And I've determined that I will get things packed ahead of time so the actual move doesn't drag on forever. It's interesting to see the various ideas and lessons on how (or how not to) move that appeared from the varying circumstances of the different moves. I hope that I have truly learned from them and at least won't make the same mistakes. I know there'll be mistakes that I make too and difficulties but at least hopefully I'll avoid the larger ones. In any case, I am thrilled that it's done with for now!!

Pink

2011-10-02T12:33:00.000-05:00

I don't like pink and it isn't really a Fall colour but these flowers caught my attention the other day and I think they're just right for a cold, wet day like today.

Wheelbarrow

2011-10-02T12:23:00.002-05:00

Orange

2011-09-29T22:55:00.003-05:00

Things have been quite busy around here and I just have the energy to post a picture so here it is:

Just look at those lashes!

Happy feet

2011-09-17T11:30:00.000-05:00

Have a relaxing weekend!

biscuits for brunch

2011-09-16T13:18:00.001-05:00

It may seem that I have exhausted the topic of our new table but I have one more note to make about it. Since we have had it up I have made more meals from scratch in a row than ever before. I'm sure that it also has something to do with a combination of things, not the least being the wonderful chill fall-like weather we have been enjoying this week. Also it's possible that the influence of feeding my boy well and finally having stocked my kitchen with good basics from which these meals can be made has encouraged me but I would still like to lay the majority of the reason with the table. Not that I have never made meals from scratch and not that I haven't had a table before but I feel as though, all other factors being present, the table (and my excitement surrounding it) has been the deciding factor in our new meal menus. However it has come about no one has complained yet. We'll see how long it lasts.

Colour

2011-09-13T14:17:00.000-05:00

One thing I love about kids toys (as much as I think many of them are useless) is the vibrant colours. It doesn't always work and can be (in my humble yet actually officious opinion) quite garish at times but some times the aesthetic just cries out to be admired and--the next logical step--photographed. It happened this weekend while my little one was playing with some of the toys we were helping to move to his cousins' new house.

I just couldn't get enough of these beads and it looks as though he thought they were pretty great too.

Great taste Logi bear!

The table

2011-09-13T13:45:00.002-05:00

We now have a dining room table! I never would have guessed I would be this excited about such a seemingly small thing but that's what makes life interesting, I suppose. This place is cramped and the area which would normally be designated as the dining room has been piled with boxes and other things so much that I thought we couldn't fit one so I had resigned myself to a less-formal arrangement for the duration and left my perpetual request for a table fall into the standing-joke category (hahahaha). When out of the blue last Saturday my wonderful husband surprised me with the news that we were in possession of a real table! He seriously could have used this surprise for Christmas or my birthday present, I was that thrilled. The night we got it in, he set it up for me and I spent the rest of the evening re-arranging the boxes in our (actual, now) dining room so we could fit the chairs around this wonderful table. Now from my description you may have some idea that there is something extra-special about this table and I truly feel as though there is but when it comes down to the basic facts, it's one of the plain ikea tables that we rescued from the garbage. Lovely. But let me explain a little and maybe you'll see just why it is just perfect for us. Back when I was still hopeful we could fit one (before fifty-plus more boxes were brought to our place to store) I had my eye on this exact model of table. I liked it because it is solid wood, matches my bookcase, is small enough to fit without being too small to use, has a simple, classic design, and doesn't seem too heavy or awkward. As affordable as ikea is in general I still looked around for ads for used ones and even had an episode where I almost bought one for fifty dollars (I think, maybe even less) but it fell through. But what is even better than buying used? Getting free (and saving landfills, right?). Sure, the last owners tried to paint what looks like a close-up of a peacock feather on the entire top but they didn't do a half-bad job (I can think of a lot of other things that could be worse) and I have a nice collection of tablecloths I had acquired during my RA days that I have been itching to get out. Eventually I think my handyman will probably sand it down and re-finish it but until then I'm actually enjoying having to air my assortment. There isn't a single thing that I would change about that table. Even after all of that you may still be thinking I'm going a bit extreme about it but I am truly beyond ecstatic! Remember I never said I wasn't crazy.

the driver

2011-09-12T09:54:00.000-05:00

We were outside all afternoon yesterday and part-way through I tried feeding my boy in the truck but for some reason he thinks driving is more interesting than eating... He is definitely his father's son!

Shoulder check!

Ducks

2011-09-11T09:28:00.003-05:00

Just to change things up a little, here is a picture of some ducks we saw a couple weekends ago at the arboretum.

Okay, here's a picture of my handsome men taken that day too. Sorry; I just can't help myself...

picket fences

2011-09-11T09:16:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a gorgeous day. We took a drive out to my Mom's for my eldest brother's birthday dinner. It was a perfect drive: late afternoon, taking our time along back country roads, a few stops along the way, and--best of all--window shopping for houses. We're currently living in a basement apartment close to downtown. Although we are saving a lot in rent and it is convenient for work, eventually we would love to get our own house with a bit of land outside of the city. Even while we were just friends we would discuss what kind of houses we liked so it comes as no surprise but is still pleasant that our tastes agree exactly. I may want the extra field for pasturing a horse or two and he may want it to store and drive cars in but we both still want the land... and I'm sure we'll be able to make things work! We would like to move before our son is too old so rough plan is within the next few years. In the mean time we save and keep window shopping. This apartment is small and dark but the hope of it not being permanent makes its inconveniences much easier to bear. It also helps that on occasion, my husband has to got to work right here. This past week he was replacing our bedroom window-well so we were able to sit in the bedroom most of the day and watch him work. We all know how much little boys love watching big machines. Just imagine how much our little guy loves watching when the machine is driven by his daddy! It has been a great family week.

Cousins' first drive together

2011-09-09T14:38:00.000-05:00

Does it get any better?

2011-09-09T10:03:00.005-05:00

I came across a glimpse of this amazing product while surfing around the internet this morning and had to know more. I instantly have fallen in love with everything about it. Mast Brothers Chocolate. Chocolate, ships, hand-crafting, amazingly designed packaging, beards, and did I mention chocolate? What's not to love?

Contemplation in blue

2011-09-07T11:27:00.001-05:00

Sunlight is good for you

2011-09-06T16:23:00.000-05:00

I guess the threat to wash his mouth out with soap won't work yet... Don't worry; I rinsed the container thoroughly before putting it by the door.

I can't help feeling it should be made into some sort of wind instrument. Maybe he'll be a busker.

2011-09-03T14:53:00.000-05:00

I take so many pictures and would love to share them all but don't feel that I have the time or my friends have the patience to warrant posting them. It can be so difficult to decide which to share and which to leave in obscurity. So today I am going to indulge myself and post a whole stream of pictures from one afternoon. Enjoy!

"What, no more?"

Tasty

2011-08-30T10:26:00.001-05:00

What?

Recent reading

2011-08-29T17:57:00.004-05:00

I may have mentioned this before but during my degree I made myself a rule only to read books on the course lists (after all, they're exactly the books I wanted to read in any case so it wasn't a difficult rule for the most part). Having emerged from both my BA and my MA I now have no rules as to reading lists so have been following whims and suggestions. I also have the desire to fill in some of the blanks and read some more of the 'classic' books one would expect to have an acquaintance and an opinion about having fallen out the other side of an English degree. So recently I have read (among others I may not remember at this moment): Eliot's Daniel Deronda, Bronte's Wuthering Heights, Gaskell's Wives and Daughters, and James' Portrait of a Lady. Even having just read them I find this list quite attractive. Now I'm reading some essays about Daniel Deronda and Portrait of a Lady. It feels good to be back in the swing of literary studies especially with September just around the corner. I'll have a few years off from the imposition of the school year but I don't think I'll be able to break the habit of feeling studious at the arrival of the first chill in the air.

his ears are burning...

2011-08-29T17:47:00.002-05:00

someone must be talking about him

Cold day

2011-08-29T10:30:00.003-05:00

Instead of visiting the grave site on the anniversary of my Grandma's death we decided to remember by gathering to continue a family tradition of racing tiny home-made boats across a small backwater nearby. It's what she would have done. The day turned out appropriately gloomy and cold (contrasting with the beautiful weather we've had all summer but understandable considering the proximity of the hurricane) but there was warmth in the gathering. I am so glad we did this.

beach babe

2011-08-25T08:07:00.000-05:00

Messy Boy

2011-08-24T11:40:00.002-05:00

This is some of the results of self-feeding sessions.

You should see my walls and floor...

Thinner

2011-08-24T10:50:00.003-05:00

The title of one of the Stephen King books (made into a movie too, I think) popped into my head as I thought of this post. I believe the story goes somewhere along the lines of a fat man being cursed by becoming thinner. This doesn't seem too scary (isn't it the goal of many?) until lack of control enters the picture. No matter what he eats, he keeps losing weight. I don't know how it ends but one can see the potential for some sort of starvation amid piles of food. Hmm. Come to think of it, that isn't quite the picture I might want to draw here. Maybe we should drop that association but in some strange way it is slightly applicable.

Taking note of most of my experience and observation I had prepared myself upon my pregnancy never to have the same body as I had had previously. I am not claiming to have had an amazing body at any point. I was strong (spending years engaged in physical labour will do that to you apparently) but not with the sculpted look of a gym-bunny. I was for the most part pleased with my body: it was not ugly and it accomplished much of what I need it to. I always felt I should eat a bit more healthily and perhaps shed a bit of the extra fat I seemed to have hanging around but it never worried me. But upon entering pregnancy I was fully prepared to resemble a beached whale for most of the term until giving birth at which point I would start to tend more to the penguin aesthetic.

Imagine my surprise when during pregnancy it mostly looked like I was a little girl imitating pregnancy by holding a balloon under my shirt. I can say this in no way to boast because it really had nothing to do with anything I did. Apparently each person's body responds differently to pregnancy and I was one of the lucky ones who had few discomforts under the physical appearance head (note I say nothing of the unseen but much-felt discomforts that fall under other headings). Being unable to engage in the same level of physical activity during my pregnancy I unfortunately lost much of my muscle mass so in the end gained few actual pounds even by the end of the pregnancy.

They say a quick and easy way to shed ten pounds is to cut off one's head. I decided to give birth instead and, although not an easy procedure, in the end it was quite as effective with a better chance of surviving the ordeal (although it may not seem so at the time and, really, at times in our history it didn't hold a great survival rate either). So I dropped the package and finally had room in there to draw breath again. I was left with a bit of a belly and extremely thin arms (in my books). I paid little attention to my weight gain or loss because there was suddenly someone else whose weight seemed more important. I watched him grow and gain with pleasure and awe.

I happily saw my belly subside but bemoaned the loss of my muscles and, although carrying around a child is a fairly good work-out it still doesn't compare to shovelling gravel and lugging half a ton of flagstone around daily. I started to notice that I was losing weight in more than just my belly. My pants were requiring a belt more frequently and a couple pair I had been considering donating because they were a bit small on me before I became pregnant (and, as I thought, would never fit me again) were fitting me quite well.

It wasn't until my boy reached about twenty pounds when, seeing the bathroom scale at a friend's house, I decided to weigh myself to see just how much weight I had lost and I discovered that I had lost as many pounds off my pre-pregnant weight as my boy weighed!

Oh the wonders of breast-feeding! I can eat as much as I like and it all gets passed along as good fat to my growing boy! Of course, I am also more conscious to eat better foods now that I am introducing him to food so that may account for some of it too. A friend who is a year ahead of me in the motherhood line also mentioned to me to beware after weaning because it can just as unconsciously creep right back on (and this time it is more certain to creep on in the form of fat as opposed to muscle) but I'm currently enjoying the fat of the land while I can.

So it turned out to be true that my body would not be the same after having had a baby but instead of going the way I had anticipated I got back the body I had at fourteen (just before starting my first physically-demanding job). It's insane. I don't want to appear smug to those who have had trouble with weight gain or loss. I personally, although never to the extreme, have gone through times when I know I should lose even five pounds to be more healthy and have had an extremely hard time accomplishing such a goal. This is one of those things that has happened to me without any virtue arising from within. But I suppose I should enjoy it while I can. I never thought I would have to go out to buy an entire wardrobe of smaller clothes, though. Thank goodness for second-hand shops!

It's about the details

2011-08-23T13:45:00.002-05:00

This is simply how I shall remember the moment.

Poor Nooner

2011-08-23T13:34:00.004-05:00

Our cats are a definite hit with the youngest member of our household. Their appearances into his field of vision are always greeted with some sort of squeal. Midnight will simply make her way back to a quiet hidey-hole at first opportunity but Nooner is much more tolerant of infantile attempts at caresses. Eventually if she doesn't feel up to being mauled she will walk off but she tolerates him longer than one might expect. Imagine the little guy's delight when waking from a nap this morning he discovered his favourite live-action teddy-cat sleeping close by on the very same couch! If she did not enjoy the moment to the full extent as he perhaps she was simply too lazy to move.

Reading

2011-08-20T18:47:00.002-05:00

My little man is currently fascinated by his board books. He likes to turn the pages himself and not only is fairly good at getting them one at a time but also consistently will turn them the appropriate way (without my prompting). It is so cute to see him reading by himself.

Orange and blue

2011-08-11T07:59:00.004-05:00

Today's rainbow

2011-08-10T22:56:00.001-05:00

Sleep

2011-08-10T08:24:00.002-05:00

When the little guy was littler there were a few times that I attempted to have him fall asleep by himself (without me feeding him) and it worked sometimes and didn't others. This summer has been so busy and we've been out so much of the time that I haven't even tried in quite a while. I have thought about it and hope that it doesn't mean the habit makes weaning etc difficult but I haven't worried too much about it. Then the other night he was fussy and restless so Daddy held him for a minute or two and he seemed better. When I looked over I found that he had fallen asleep in Daddy's arms. I know I won't be trying this every night/naptime but it's good to see that he still is okay with alternate routines. Oh, and it's adorable!

The Thinker revisited

2011-08-09T13:11:00.003-05:00

He has so many different expressions! It's difficult to catch them all but I try...

Lupins

2011-07-29T18:33:00.001-05:00

In the Grass

2011-07-29T18:30:00.000-05:00

Busy

2011-07-27T09:39:00.003-05:00

I have started to realize that the moments in my life that aren't busy are and forever will be the exceptions. But do I really want it any other way? I actually doubt it. These past couple weeks we've been blitzing James' mom's place getting it ready to sell. Just prior to that I spent part of a week helping get Grandma's house ready to sell. As of now my Grandma's is sold and Logan's Grandma's house has had its first showing. I have a whole day at home to start sorting this place out. So much can be neglected when one spends no more than one waking hour per day at home. But it does give satisfaction to know that things are being accomplished.

On a different note, I just noticed my last post title is Choral Bells and I'm not entirely sure if that is the proper spelling for heuchera's common name. Looking at it now I do believe it should be Coral Bells. It isn't surprising that my mind would gravitate to the musical interpretation but I think I was wrong. But the pictures are beautiful nevertheless.

Choral Bells

2011-07-16T09:34:00.003-05:00

I have never had much appreciation for heuchera beyond some of the interesting leaf colours that have been developed but I took these up-close pictures of the flowers and they actually turn out to be beautiful when viewed this way. Who knew?

Writer's Block

2011-07-16T09:19:00.002-05:00

I love fiction and have always been puzzled with my evident lack of talent in producing it. I think it is common with writers to find it difficult to get past the initial problem of beginning. But having spent at least six years honing my writing skills (mainly through essays) I don't think that or any other technical aspect of writing is the problem. Style and technique are things that with discipline and practice become less difficult. I also have very little problem stringing together sentences; I tend to be verbose more than otherwise.

It struck me today, however, that a deeper problem for me is that to create one particular character, for instance, is to exclude all other possibilities for that character. Descriptions essentially limit possibility. I enjoy reading of other peoples' created worlds because it opens new worlds to the imagination but to create one myself is to exclude all other possibilities. So I suppose my being a reader who cannot herself write is in a way rather a selfish position.

Maybe knowing this will help me overcome my writer's block. I guess we'll see!

Cheese

2011-07-14T12:54:00.003-05:00

I finally have a picture where you can see the top teeth too. I think the bottom ones are beyond adorable and the top ones are cute too (but not quite as extreme on the cute scale) but since they're there I like having picture proof...

Speaking of picture proof, we've been meaning to get a video camera ever since he was born but haven't got around to it yet. I have also been meaning to switch my phone plan but that I finally accomplished last week. As I played around with my new phone I discovered it had a video option. Thinking of it now, my previous phone (perhaps all of my previous phones) had the video option but I never used it. Importantly, though, this current phone also comes equipped with bluetooth so I am able (really, my husband is able) to transfer them to my husband's laptop without having to buy some sort of cord. So I've started taking videos of as many of L's accomplishments as I can. The quality is pretty low but the subject is the best!

Happy Dominion Day!

2011-07-01T09:14:00.000-05:00

Fever

2011-07-01T09:03:00.003-05:00

Seemingly (to me) hard on the heels of his first set of teeth, my man is now cutting the top two. It's more rough on him this time with a low-grade fever and more evident pain and restlessness as a result but he's still taking it like a trooper. Even during the worst of it people who have met him for the first time have remarked on how happy and calm he is. He is such a blessing and joy. Another side benefit (for me) of his feeling under the weather is that he is more clingy and cuddly than usual. I generally like the fact that he is more than happy to go to or be entertained by other people but now that I have it it's nice to have a mommy's boy for a couple days (but I wouldn't want it to be like this all the time). I do hope he's over the worst today, though.

Pony

2011-06-29T10:09:00.005-05:00

Oh my!

"Every child should have a pony"
So began one of my favourite books as a child. It is a simple story about how a mother got a pony for her children one Christmas. I didn't quite know why I liked it so much but for several years in the week before Christmas I imposed upon myself the tradition of reading one chapter a day leading up to Christmas. Well now our little guy has his own first 'pony' and seems to enjoy it quite a bit. When you squeeze the ears of this pony it dexterously will make trotting noises and sinisterly will sing a la-de-de-da song (very sinisterly when you begin to realize that the song is then stuck in your head the rest of the day). In general I have been trying to keep a limit on the toys that we acquire for him but for some reason I had a hard time saying no to this one :)

Stuck

2011-06-26T21:07:00.003-05:00

As a result of the superiority of his backwards creeping to any forward movement, he frequently ends up in this predicament these days. His mobility is definitely increasing, though, and it won't be long before he'll be proficient in both gears (not to mention walking).

Eureka!

2011-06-24T12:43:00.001-05:00

Father's Day

2011-06-24T12:17:00.001-05:00

A few pictures

2011-06-23T13:03:00.001-05:00

simple gifts

2011-06-22T12:45:00.001-05:00

One of the perks of marrying a landscaper is the abundance of flowers that seems to come with the territory.

(another is the great tan...)

Dinner

2011-06-22T12:38:00.003-05:00

Oatmeal cereal to start

With raspberries to finish

Changes

2011-06-22T12:26:00.005-05:00

We visit James' brother and his family quite frequently (at least a couple times every week). They have been renting a house with about an acre of land and it's been great to have a place that's still quite close but where we can head outside and where the little guy can play with his cousins. Recently, however, they have been looking into buying a place of their own and have just put down a conditional offer on a house further outside of the city. While we are happy for this step and looking forward to visiting them at their new house there is still sadness at the thought of leaving the house they have inhabited for many years. We went for a walk along (and through) a nearby creek with our older nephew over the weekend. This may have been the last of the walks in this creek but apparently the new house has a creek right on the property so I'm sure it won't be the last of our creek walks!

Teeth!

2011-06-22T12:20:00.004-05:00

He's had these for a few weeks now but I just haven't got around to putting anything up on here about it. The first two teeth came in at the same time and didn't seem to give him more trouble than one fussy night (or at least didn't give me more trouble than that) but I believe his top ones are starting to rear their heads and he's been fussy and not sleeping well for the past few days so hopefully they poke through before too long. I think these teeth are an adorable addition and make for some really cute faces as he tests out the new feeling in his mouth. Thankfully we haven't had too much trouble with biting yet so over all it's been a positive experience.

When I discovered the first tooth (not having realized it was coming through already) it gave me a pang to think he's already reached another milestone but at the same time I'm so happy he's developing as he should. He's getting to be a big boy already!

Wedding

2011-05-27T08:04:00.002-05:00

Our marriage had been postponed several times for various reasons last year so eventually we decided to be married quietly at City Hall and have our celebration with friends this year once things had settled down a bit. It turned out to be six months and a few days from our original wedding day that I finally walked down the aisle. Last Saturday turned out to be perfect in so many ways. It was difficult to plan with so many other things going on but we pulled if off. No, we more than pulled it off: it was everything I could have hoped. The one aspect that I do regret is that with everything going on we never got a chance to get most of the invitations out. I did try to let everyone know by word or over e-mail but it isn't the same as a real invitation. But those who were able to make it made it a wonderful day. As I was saying with one of my bridesmaids, for the amount of joy and fun that came from the day it was the perfect amount of work. I was so happy to see everyone and celebrate with them. Although we were already married we both agree that this was necessary. Anyway it was beautiful and I am so glad we went ahead with it despite the hectic pace it put us through for a while. Oh, one more regret: we never got our own pictures. It looks as though enough friends took pictures but it would be nice not to have to rely on others. But that's what makes life worth living so I guess it's fine too.

Food!

2011-04-27T12:10:00.005-05:00

The little guy was weighed at his Doctor's appointment yesterday. We had weighed him at home a few weeks ago and he was just under seventeen pounds. I figured he was around eighteen now so I was surprised to hear he was nineteen-and-a-half! I'm just glad his car-seat is rated to 32lbs rather than the standard 21. He is growing so quickly and is quite interested in food. I had given him some rice cereal several days in a row last week but it looked like he had a tiny rash on his cheeks after eating it once or twice so I decided to leave off for a little while and try again in a bit. This weekend, however, one of my family members gave him some honeydew melon. He made a face at first but then worked away at the chunk until he had reduced it to mush (pretty good for having no teeth yet). They then gave him something else but there was no face this time. The next day I let him hold and try out raw broccoli and cauliflower and he was quite interested in those veggies too (no face this time either even though they have quite the strong flavour). He is definitely aware of what food is and is quite interested watching us eat various things. He also wants to sample our drinks but we still just give him sips of his own water so far. It's been interesting and I'm happy that he's eager to try new things. Hopefully he keeps this attitude throughout life but we'll see.

Through generations

2011-04-14T22:14:00.002-05:00

It has been interesting unpacking things that have been packed away for years from when James stored his things at his aunt's place. Porcelain eggs he made and decorated as a child, old photos, and an extensive stamp and coin collection among other things. One of the more interesting discoveries, in my opinion, was a small New Testament/Psalms book inscribed with his father's name (mid last-century) and a confirmation class help and guide book given to his Grandfather in the 1930s. I love books, I love old books and I love the Bible but what makes these particular unassuming old books extra-special in my eyes is the heritage they represent. It has been passed down from generation to generation. I know we have no say ultimately as to how successfully it will be passed down but my hope is that I do my best to keep them going strong.

Less of me

2011-04-07T23:02:00.003-05:00

It's true that I have never sought the spotlight but it's amazing how quickly and easily the focus of my life has shifted from my own interests to that of my little guy (and my big guy). I'm now putting myself much more in the background with a lot of things but I really don't mind at all. Who knew dying to self could be this easy? Not to say that it's easy all the time. We still live in a fairly student-oriented part of town and keeping in touch with friends has reminded me about all the fun and freedom I had before last November. But I'm happy where I am right now. I had a great time single, now I'm having a wonderful time as three. Life is great!

And they called it...

2011-04-07T00:07:00.005-05:00

Puppy love!

Logan loves dogs and cats. He gets excited when he watches them pass by and then tries to touch them. I've been trying to teach him to pet gently rather than hit (easy enough now when he doesn't have the inclination to hit too much). He will still grab at their fur a little but aside from that is reasonably gentle with animals.

Where I found the latest dust-bunny

2011-04-07T00:04:00.001-05:00

Sorry Alison.

I think we've established you shouldn't try for facial hair.

Thunder Thighs

2011-04-04T23:15:00.000-05:00

So cute on a baby

Arrrrr

2011-04-02T00:37:00.001-05:00

I love eating blankets...

Daddy's mouth

2011-03-31T23:48:00.004-05:00

For some reason sometimes when James is playing with the little guy he will purse his lips so we've called it Daddy's look because he only would do it with James. But now he's doing it more frequently (like when I try to see if he's hungry) and I managed to get it on the camera the other day. I think it's really cute even though I have no idea why he's decided to do it.

The Super's Wife

2011-03-28T18:17:00.002-05:00

No, that's not the super wife. Wish I were but I'm working on it... It's interesting being the wife of someone like James. Today the water pump that works to heat our building quit so he's been working with the plumber to fix everything. We now have a hole in our ceiling by the hallway but hopefully we'll have heat soon. And James has been making supper on the side while working. I think it works out pretty well. It's amazing just how much James really knows. There are times when I feel he's getting beyond himself about things but then it turns out that he really is an expert. Boo. No, it's really fascinating. I love how there's never a dull moment and always something to learn. It also reminds me of my own childhood with Dad working from home with no external schedules. Ooh, supper's almost ready. Can I call it my Super's super supper? Aw, that would just be silly.

more water

2011-03-11T21:20:00.004-05:00

In keeping with the theme of the previous post, the little guy took his first sip of water from a glass today. He was trying to hold the glass himself but then made a hilarious face at his first sip. However, he reached for it again and stuck his tongue out into the water the second time so I don't think it was a bad reception. He splashes so much in his bath that I'm sure it's not the first taste of water he's had but it's possibly the first soap-free.

water water everywhere

2011-03-11T11:33:00.003-05:00

Yesterday he was out at 4AM to plow snow and today he's out cleaning up leaking basements. Spring weather. One nice thing (for me) about his heading out so early to plow was that he was back around supper time and we got to spend the evening together. Not the best for his schedule, however. Speaking of leaking basements, though, ours has leaked again. I tried to mop up a bunch yesterday when he was out but it was coming in so steadily that I really only gave the wall a respite while I wrung out towel after towel until the little guy woke up again... On the positive side, the leak is in our bathroom so it's a room already prepared to deal with some extra water. The less-positive side is that it's destroying the wall beneath the window which we had just fixed before moving in here. So now the one room that was pretty much set up the way I liked will now require another overhaul. Oh well. Maybe this whole exercise is teaching me to let go of what I think to be necessary for happiness. I still love my life even though this place is a bit of a wreck. And there's never a dull moment! Wahoo!

baby feet are happy feet

2011-03-07T23:50:00.004-05:00

I could just eat them up...

Don't blink

2011-03-07T23:10:00.006-05:00

My little guy is growing up so quickly. I am so thankful I can stay at home and spend every minute with him. Everyone says it goes by in a flash and I try constantly to keep this in mind but even despite this mindfulness and a deliberate attempt to cherish each moment, it is going by faster than I would wish at times. This in no way means that I don't want my boy to grow and develop and that I am not excited about each new stage or accomplishment but rather that I'm sad to see some things go.

He now wiggles and tries to creep around when placed on his stomach and is enjoying being upright in the jolly-jumper. I know he'll want to be motoring around before I have time to turn around (or, as I coined the other day: "in three snaps of a onesie"). He's also chewing on everything he can get his hands (and consequently, his mouth) on so perhaps teeth are somewhere around the corner for us too. Life's a blur and so wonderful. It isn't that I question what I did before having a baby but I know I would be at a loss without him now. It can be embarrassing how little attention I tend to pay to anything else. But hopefully this one-track mind can be said to go with baby territory and I don't continue as a clingy, possessive mother when he starts to grow a little more independent. But surely there'll be time to adjust before we get to that point... won't there?

Toes and snows

2011-03-01T20:17:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was a snow day around here. Unlike most people's snow days, for us it meant that James had to leave us for a whole day of plowing. He has been away again for much of today. This episode has really reminded me of how blessed we have been this year that so many of the predicted storms never materialized. Aside from small duties a few days a week James has been able to be home with us most of the winter. We have been able to watch together each step as Logan has grown and developed, we have been able to share responsibilities and grow as a family.

Yesterday while his Daddy was away Logan discovered his toes. I quickly grabbed the camera to document this momentous occasion and got some (okay, quite a few) adorable pictures and was able to show them to James when he got back in but I was sad that James had to miss that milestone (however minor). However, as mentioned already, he has been around so much more than we had hoped that I really have little to complain about.

Also it's always interesting to see how things go without the extra help. Logi B and I had a fun, fairly quiet day. He took long naps and I was able to sort things out a bit more in his room and get some of our boxes out of there in preparation of setting up a crib. So far he's sleeping in a bassinet in our room but he's getting too large for it and although I wish he could stay in our room longer we're going to have to move him out. I am excited, however, about setting up his room and already things are coming together. Here's a part-picture of his own little bookcase with his own little books. The bookcase is what you see first when you look down the hall and it's one of those things that makes me happy every time I look at it! Now just over half of the room is also on the list of happy-making sights. We're still living in a bit of chaos but more and more this apartment is becoming the home I love to be in.

Mundane

2011-02-09T20:09:00.002-05:00

So my days have been filled with baby boy and unpacking and visiting and occasional trips to help out in the office.

I finally got the last full load of my stuff from my Grandma's basement. It has been six months and an entire life away from the time I packed everything into those boxes and bags. At times when I unpack various objects I greet them as the old friends they are and at times I greet them with the question of why I took the trouble to pack and store them at all. It's been great to have that part of my life finally merging with what my life is now. Especially my books and my pretty kitchen pottery. The place is still a bit of a mess but I spent much of yesterday's afternoon scrubbing the tops of the cupboards in the kitchen and arranging my set of bowls and a few other items up there and I have since then escaped numerous times to the oasis of looking at those bowls and that perfectly completed corner of my abode while completely blinded to the chaos in which I stood. My other favourite pastime is looking at my bookcase. I still have to arrange my books on it--I only put them out in the order in which they were packed (and they were packed according to fit so categorization is out the window at this time). But even though I only have limited time to luxuriate in reading a book I get great pleasure in looking at the books I have. They remind me of many happy hours spent in their company and give tantalizing promises of many more to come. They not only do these things, however, I also find to my surprise that they tend to give me the hope that the literate side of my brain has not been wholly swallowed up on baby babble. Not to say I want to put away my childish things quite yet but I live in the hope that these two side of my life do not have to be incompatible. Not even that I hope to introduce my dear boy to this love of my life but I want it to continue to be a part of my life. I want to have something to say when conversing with friends beyond regaling them with the minutiae (however interesting) of life with baby. to put it simply: as our literary discussions often included their fair share on the topic of poop so I hope my poop discussions will include their fair share on topics literatae. A balance is all I seek. Is that too much to ask?

Furniture

2011-01-27T16:25:00.004-05:00

We just got a futon bringing our living room comfortable seating number up to five (or a bit squishy six). Things are certainly shaping up here. I keep thinking we've been living in a messy place for quite some time but it's just coming up to two months. Also there really isn't much room for storage so everything is out until we find (or make) a place for it. It's getting there. Definitely not all the way yet but most steps are in positive directions. At least now I don't feel badly when we have people over. Talking to a friend who has been meaning to visit but hasn't been able to yet I just assure her that it's not a problem and that the longer the visit is put off the nicer our place will be...

The little guy is napping on the armchair beside me and just laughed in his sleep. When you're that small, almost everything you do is SO cute. It's a crazy feeling. I'm trying to make myself lay him down sometimes when he's sleeping during the day and at times before he falls asleep so he learns how to put himself to sleep. It's harder than it looks. I often wonder if it's the parents or the kids that are the bigger culprits when the clingy-ness becomes a problem later on. Will there come a time when I don't want to hold him any more? Okay, I have reached that point when he has been fussy for several hours and will not sleep but it has more to do with being tired of the fussiness--I probably wouldn't have a problem with still holding him afterwards. I think it's true that parenthood is just another word for crazy. Crazy good and just plain crazy. I remember a time when my mind wasn't completely filled with the magnificent mundane. Baby brain. Is it a bad thing, though?

Two months

2011-01-25T17:10:00.003-05:00

I can't believe it's been over two months already. People always say it goes quickly but it really does.
It also feels as though I'll always remember every detail of what is going on but I know that from week to week I can forget so I want to write down some of my favourite things.
Logi-bear is getting so chunky and growing so much. I can't believe how much of his clothes he's outgrown already (not that he doesn't have an inordinate amount of outfits to grow into still).
I love how when he wakes and I pick him up he does a superman stretch in the air.
I love how his voice is all muffled or scrunchy sounding when he first wakes.
I love how I can't wait to pick him up even if I had been more than happy to put him down for the nap. Sometime I have to stop myself from waking him up so I can pick him up.
I love how he looks in little boy clothes (pants, overalls etc) but I'm really sad he's not wearing sleepers all the time any more.
I love how he holds my hand (finger) when we go for rides in the truck.
I love how he talks to his monkey and his Papa Smurf.
I love how he loves his daddy.
I love his little coos, squeaks, squeals, and attempts at saying "hi".
I love how he can be so polite sometimes in informing us when he's waiting to be fed by doing his hungry dance.
I LOVE his grin.
I love when he gets mad and his "mmmaaaa" cry.
I love how his eyebrows go white and his face goes red before he cries.
I love how he snuggles under my chin or on my shoulder.
I love how he sucks his fist when he goes to bed.
I love how he tries to stand up and look around.
I love his little face to pieces.
I even love how he interrupts everything I try to start doing (including this blog post).
So although the list goes on quite a bit, I'm going to have to leave it at that for now!

Shelves in the closet? Happy thought indeed.

2011-01-07T16:23:00.003-05:00

Our apartment is messy. Most of this is because we really haven't finished setting it up and part of it is because there aren't that many places to put things away yet. But thankfully it feels like home. Despite the chaos that has followed me for the past half year I have managed to live in places that always, for some reason or another, felt like home. So it has not been completely overwhelming. The best part about this most recent chaos is that I can see how it will end (or at least lessen quite a bit). James has been building us bookshelves (YAY!). They are not the most highly finished shelves but they are sturdy, have lots of shelf space and are much cheaper in the end than anything (wooden or not) that we could buy. Along with the bookshelves he has been creating storage shelves, has started on bedside tables, built access steps to our back window-well (we call it our back door) and has been planning how he wants to make our bedframe. So far we have one of those metal frames with no head- or foot- board which is fine but it will be nice to have a full frame--especially one he planned and made himself. I wonder what it is about making one's own bed that seems to resonate through the years. When mom heard James was making it she mentioned that Dad had always wanted to make their bedframe but she always told him it wasn't necessary. She is sorry now that he didn't have the chance. Going even further back it reminds me of Odysseus and Penelope and I know I've encountered it frequently-enough in literature post-dating that. And now it's touching my life. It's interesting how sometimes I find myself feeling a certain way simply because I know I'm entering into some custom I have read about. To quote (loosely) from the classic movie You've Got Mail: "So many things remind me of something I've read in a book when shouldn't it be the other way around?" Does doing typical adult things or entering into adult customs actually make one an adult or do we simply feel that way because we know they are things adults do?

Well I've really strayed from the origin of this train of thought and don't really think I have made my path (or point) clear but I think I shall leave it as evidence of how I have lost at least part of my logical powers post-baby.